Big Bang Theory EP Previews Arrival of Bernadette and Howard's Son, Hints at His 'Meaningful' Name

Bernadette headsback to the maternity ward on The Big Bang Theory this Thursday (8/7c, CBS) to give birth to her and Howard’s second child, although, once again, the delivery itself will play no part in the episode.

“I’m not a fan of [delivery] scenes,” showrunner Steve Holland admits to TVLine. “You’ve seen the scene of the woman in labor, breathing heavily, sweating and yelling at her husband so many times, it’s hard to find a way to do that scene that hasn’t been done before.”

Whereas much of the action leading up to Halley’s arrival was confined to the hospital’s waiting room, this time around Holland says he and his fellow writers “went in the opposite direction” and set the majority of the episode inside Howard and Bernadette’s living room. Another major difference between Birth No. 1 and Birth No. 2: This time around, there’s a lot more drama surrounding the kid’s name. However, Holland teases that mom and dad ultimately settle on a moniker that “is meaningful” to them both.

Don’t expect to hear much of Halley’s little brother (or Halley, for that matter) moving forward. (We already know that neither child will ever actually be seen.) “Obviously them being parents and having two kids is a part of the show, but we never want the gravity of the show to shift to being a sitcom about home life and family life,” says Holland. “That’s never been what the center of the show is for us. [The kids] will play more into the margins.”